District Fined by Labor and Industries

Seattle Public Schools was fined $6,000 for a persistent unsafe condition in the food prep area of the John Stanford Center. Ice built up on the floor of the freezer creating a serious risk for people to slip and fall.

They should have fixed it, but they didn't. Now they have to fix the problem and pay a fine to the state.

That's not an efficient use of District resources.

Comments

Melissa Westbrook said…
I just want to say this situation went on for awhile. There were complaints about it and requests to please fix it. That the district ignored those and waited until a complaint had to be filed with the state does not speak well of the district.

But, as we see, more and more the district either cannot, does not or will not act as a fully functional government entity.
12/15/10, 10:44 PM
dan dempsey said…
District functioning is often outside the law. The Board seems to have little concern about holding their one employee the Superintendent accountable.

This looks like a bad marriage with the Board suffering from battered spouse syndrome.

Quick someone arrange to get the Board to a safe-house.
12/16/10, 1:41 AM
Dave said…
Actually Melissa, it went on for 8 years without the District feeling safety was a big enough issue to spend money on.

Most galling was learning that the current Maintenance Manager actually joked about needing ice to have "it on the rocks" in internal emails about the hazard a year before the complaint was filed. Bet he was at the carving station where funds ended up being spent. Several employees were seriously injured (such as requiring knee surgery) during the year he entertained with pithy humor.

Patience may be a virtue but at the district, it makes you a victim.
12/16/10, 6:57 AM
Charlie Mas said…
To what extent are things like this reflected in the superintendent's evaluation?

To what extent is she held accountable for findings of unfair labor practices?

To what extent is she accountable - positively or negatively - for staff morale?

Pardon my military training, but the two - and only two - measures of leadership I can see are mission accomplishment and troop welfare. The only two questions that matter are: Did you get the job done? and Did you take care of your people?

The callous disregard shown for the District's employees - whether certificated or classified - simply astonishes me. The District is a personal services enterprise. We are our people. The schools are not the buildings or the books, but the people. For the leadership to neglect the people is intolerable.
12/16/10, 9:08 AM
Mike said…
Well said Charlie.
12/18/10, 7:45 PM
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